


Perihelion

by Tarlan



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-29
Updated: 2011-10-29
Packaged: 2017-10-25 01:54:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/270438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tarlan/pseuds/Tarlan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rodney hates the heat on this new world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Perihelion

**Author's Note:**

> Written for **libra_traveller** for Halloween Trick-or-Treat 2011

_Perihelion - point in the orbit of a planet, asteroid or comet where it is nearest to the sun._

When the Asurans attacked and the only remaining option was to take flight, they didn't have a whole lot of time to choose a heading. All they knew from the Ancient database was this world had been among the few deemed suitable ten thousand years earlier. In the past, Rodney had pushed for an expedition to check out all of those worlds but there had always been something more pressing--a mission that was more important than a survey.

The problem was the distance of each of those worlds from the closest Stargate. For this particular world, it would have taken almost four days by puddlejumper, so Rodney had added it to the list of requests to make of Caldwell and the _Daedalus_.

Rodney wished he had pressed for that survey now.

The heat had risen dramatically over the past few weeks as the planet moved towards its perihelion, and they had almost reached the point where he was considering raising the shield to protect the city and its inhabitants from the intense heat. The only positive was the number of scantily dressed people walking around the city, though that had its negatives too. After all, Rodney could quite happily live a lifetime without seeing Durham's knobbly knees.

As the temperature rose, tempers flared and Rodney sent more than one pair of scientists out of the laboratories to cool off before something delicate and irreplaceable was broken. He slumped on his stool and leaned his forehead on the bench for a moment as another argument started up behind him. It was no good. No one could think in this heat. Slapping the bench hard, he pushed up and glared around the suddenly silent laboratory.

"Leave. All of you. OUT! And don't come back until this heat wave is over."

They flicked confused glances at each other but moved quickly, snapping laptops closed and rushing for the door. As the last one disappeared, Rodney sighed heavily and sank back down onto his stool. He felt the last of his energy evaporate in the heat and seriously contemplated crawling under the bench and going to sleep because he didn't think he would be able to make it to his quarters even if he was inclined to enter that inferno.

"Hey, Rodney!"

Rodney groaned and looked over his shoulder, and almost groaned again for an entirely different reason. Only Sheppard could look sexy in a sweat-soaked t-shirt and damp hair. Okay, maybe Ronon too, he added silently.

"You okay?"

Rodney waved a hand as he turned back to his laptop. "Too hot. Canadian, remember?"

John grinned and sauntered into the laboratory until he was standing far too close behind him for comfort. Rodney could feel the waves of heat radiating off him.

"Do you mind?" Rodney shrugged backwards to dislodge the man hanging over his shoulder.

John nudged him back. "Come on, Rodney. I know somewhere you can cool down."

Unable to work up the energy to argue, Rodney nodded in defeat and closed his laptop. It wasn't as if he had been working on anything productive over the past few days beyond trying to find ways to cool down the city. He followed John into the transporter and was surprised when the door opened up at the base of the main tower. Intrigued, he fell in step with John, wincing as he prepared to step outside into the heat, only to gasp in relief at the cool breeze that caressed his hot face.

"That is..? Where?" Glancing around he noticed dozens of odd shaped devices sticking out from the walls that were obviously drawing in the hot air and cooling it before fanning it downwards. John led him to a secluded spot out of view from any of the doors and windows. He had laid towels on the ground and had set a picnic cooler in the shade. When John handed him a cold beer, he thought it had to all be a heat stroke induced dream.

Twenty minutes later, he sighed again but this time in pleasure, feeling cool for the first time in days.

"Better?"

Rodney opened his eyes and looked up from where he was stretched out on a towel, smiling as John leaned over him. It seemed the most natural thing in the world to raise his head the extra few inches and kiss the softly smiling lips. Only realizing what he had done when he dropped back and noticed the small frown creasing John's forehead.

"Uh. I.."

John leaned in and kissed him tenderly before pulling back, leaving Rodney blinking in confusion.

"Really?"

All he gained was a one-shoulder shrug from John but it was enough, and as Rodney drew John in for a passionate kiss, he hoped the weather would stay this hot for days to come.

END


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